Easy Graduation Cap Cookies (Printable Version)

Buttery cookies shaped like graduation caps, decorated with smooth royal icing for a festive treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ For the Cookies

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

→ For the Royal Icing

08 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
09 - 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons meringue powder plus 6 tablespoons water
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - Black gel food coloring
12 - Yellow gel food coloring

→ For Decoration

13 - Mini yellow M&Ms or candy pearls for tassels

# Directions:

01 - In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, mixing until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until dough forms completely.
05 - Divide dough in half, shape each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
06 - Set oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and allow 10 minutes for preheating.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into shapes using a graduation cap or square cookie cutter.
08 - Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are just golden. Transfer to cooling rack and cool completely.
09 - In a clean bowl, beat egg whites or meringue powder mixture until foamy in appearance.
10 - Gradually add powdered sugar while beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, approximately 5 minutes of mixing.
11 - Mix in vanilla extract to the royal icing base.
12 - Divide icing into portions and tint majority with black gel food coloring and small portion with yellow gel food coloring.
13 - Add water by the teaspoon for flooding consistency or additional powdered sugar for piping consistency as needed.
14 - Outline each cookie with black royal icing using piping bag, then flood interior using a toothpick to spread toward edges. Allow 30 to 60 minutes setting time.
15 - Using yellow royal icing, pipe a tassel and button design on each graduation cap.
16 - Place a mini M&M or candy pearl at the end of each piped tassel.
17 - Allow cookies to dry completely for several hours or overnight before serving or packaging.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They look genuinely impressive but the dough is forgiving enough that even tired hands can manage them at 11 PM.
  • Royal icing feels fancy until you realize it's basically just powdered sugar and egg whites having the best time together.
  • One batch makes enough to gift, display, and sneak a few for yourself when no one's looking.
02 -
  • Don't skip sifting your powdered sugar—lumpy icing makes decorating look uneven and feel gritty, which ruins the whole polished effect you're going for.
  • Gel food coloring is your friend; liquid coloring adds too much water and breaks down your icing consistency, turning it from glossy to slippery.
  • The dough can be made 2 days ahead and frozen, which means you can bake fresh cookies the morning of your event instead of scrambling the night before.
03 -
  • Make a test batch of royal icing before you commit to coloring your whole batch—every powdered sugar brand whips slightly differently, so you might need to adjust your technique.
  • If your icing cracks as it dries, it was too stiff; if it never firms up, it was too wet—both problems are solved by adding just a tiny bit more of what's missing and learning what right feels like in your own kitchen.
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